The Wimbledon tournament is set to begin in London, with both the men’s and women’s singles draws featuring notable matchups. The event will see the return of Serena Williams to singles competition, while defending champion Jannik Sinner and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic are poised for challenging paths.
Serena Williams’ return to singles
Serena Williams, a legend with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven at Wimbledon, is making her return to singles play after nearly four years. Her first match is against Maya Joint, a 20-year-old Australian who has a 3-15 record this season. Joint, who won the Eastbourne Open last year, may not have the recent form to prepare for facing Williams on a prominent court.
Should Williams advance past Joint, she is likely to face Alexandra Eala, a 21-year-old from the Philippines, in the second round. Eala has demonstrated strong grass-court performance this year and last, securing victories against players such as Donna Vekić, Elena Rybakina, and Elina Svitolina. A potential third-round match for Williams could be against defending champion Iga Świątek.
In doubles, Serena and her sister Venus Williams, 46, are scheduled to play against Camila Osorio of Colombia and Solana Sierra of Argentina in their opening match. Neither Osorio nor Sierra are considered doubles specialists.
Men’s singles draw and key players
Jannik Sinner, the top seed, is returning to defend his only major title. Despite holding nearly double the ranking points of the second seed, his recent exit from the French Open due to illness and heat has raised questions about his readiness for the conditions at Wimbledon. Sinner has not played since early June and enters the tournament without prior match play on grass.
Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, is also in the draw. At 39, Djokovic faces physical challenges, particularly in five-set matches, though grass courts may lead to quicker matches. His path to a potential 25th Grand Slam title is complicated by being on the same side of the draw as Sinner. Djokovic could encounter Andrey Rublev or Joao Fonseca in the fourth round, with a potential quarterfinal match against Félix Auger-Aliassime.
Other notable players in the men’s draw include Alexander Zverev, who is the No. 2 seed. Daniil Medvedev, who has reached two Wimbledon semifinals in the past three years but also experienced early exits in other majors, is another player to watch. Ben Shelton, who won a title on grass in Stuttgart and reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year, is also in contention. Taylor Fritz, who reached the Halle final, is looking to maintain his health throughout the tournament.
Women’s favorites and early challenges
Several top women’s players face early challenges. Defending champion Iga Świątek has a difficult opening match against Taylor Townsend, known for her sharp angles and net play. If Świątek advances, she could face either former world No. 1 Karolína Plíšková or rising Czech player Tereza Valentová. Plíšková is recognized as a strong grass-court player.
The top-seeded American women, including Jessica Pegula (No. 4), Amanda Anisimova (No. 6), and Coco Gauff (No. 7), have favorable early-round draws. Pegula has focused on building rhythm for the tournament, opting to acclimate at the All England Club instead of playing the Bad Homburg warm-up event, which she won last year. She could potentially face Iva Jovic in the fourth round and Gauff in the quarterfinals.
Gauff might face Belinda Bencic in the fourth round, while Anisimova’s first major challenge could be against Madison Keys in the third round. If Anisimova progresses, she might meet former Wimbledon champion Rybakina in the quarterfinals, who has reportedly been struggling with her forehand.
The tournament begins on Monday in London.
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Source: nytimes.com
